larger view

Two years ago I sat at a large, square table with a group of exceedingly cool women thinking “these women are all way more cool than me, I don’t think they will ever accept plain ol’ me.”

I just laughed out loud as I re-read that, but even as I typed I could see the faces gathered there as we discussed something brand-new and exciting called (burn the witch) – I had offered to perform my poetry that first year and had no idea I would be swept into something that has become a phenomenon and is now going into its third year and can now be known as the Award Winning Burn the Witch… in this case Burn the Witch III.

I remember that first year I almost chickened out. I was afraid to share my art. It was scary for me, edgy, stepping way beyond my comfort zone and I was so stuck in the mirey goo called “they will all just think I am completely nuts anyway.”

Yes, some people did think I was nuts but other people thought, “Wow. She did it.”

I am now among another group of women – some stalwarts from the first year – organizing this year’s Burn the Witch III scheduled to be held at the Empty Space during October with opening events on October 11 and October 18.

This year I am not only performing my poetry (that was what got me started in all this way back when) I also will have some photography on display as once again, this art show tends to get under the skin (and heart) of the participants and we start creating… more and more and more.

I am also working as the Entertainment Coordinator and Stage Manager – and we are still accepting artists into the show through August 10, but only until August 10.

I have been speaking with a bunch of performing artists today and there is a gentle witch-bumpy feeling right underneath my skin. I can’t wait to see what is going to happen this year, I can’t wait to see what art is created and performed and what cool alliances take place that never would have happened prior to Burn the Witch.

You could say that witch-bumpy feeling is what happens when we women get together and Burn, Together, in Bakersfield.

Mmmmmmmmmm. I can’t wait.